Puttin’ my defences up
'Cause I don’t wanna fall in love
If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack

Never put my love out on the line
Never said yes to the right guy
Never had trouble getting what I want
But when it comes to you, I’m never good enough
When I don’t care, I can play 'em like a Ken doll
Won’t wash my hair, then make 'em bounce like a basketball

But you make me wanna act like a girl
Paint my nails and wear high heels, yes you
Make me so nervous, that I just can’t hold your hand

You make me glow,
But I cover up, won’t let it show,
So I’m puttin’ my defenses up
'Cause I don’t wanna fall in love
If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack

Never break a sweat for the other guys
When you come around, I get paralyzed
And every time I try to be myself
It comes out wrong like a cry for help
It’s just not fair
Pain’s more trouble than love is worth
I gasp for air
It feels so good, but you know it hurts

But you make me wanna act like a girl
Paint my nails and wear perfume, for you,
Make me so nervous, that I just can’t hold your hand

You make me glow,
But I cover up, won’t let it show,
So I’m puttin’ my defenses up
'Cause I don’t wanna fall in love
If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack

The feelings got lost in my lungs
They’re burning, I’d rather be numb
And there’s no one else to blame
So scared I take off and I run
I’m flying too close to the sun
And I burst into flames

You make me glow,
But I cover up, won’t let it show,
So I’m puttin’ my defenses up
'Cause I don’t wanna fall in love
If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack (Heart attack)
I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack

11 Comments

Song MeaningI think this song can have a couple meanings, depending on how you look at it.

One (not as likely of a meaning) is about a girl who tends to fall for troublemakers and guys that end up being horrible for her.They're the kind that want her to become what THEY want her to be, by telling them what to wear, how to have their hair styled, how they act, etc. They don't respect her the way she should be respected. Even though she's comfortable around other guys and has no problem playing with their emotions a tiny bit when she doesn't have affectionate feelings towards them, as soon as the guy she's feeling for is around, she doesn't know what to do, is afraid to do anything, and just freezes. She's afraid of speaking up, fearing that something horrible would happen (as many girls in this situation would feel). She feels that this is happening again with her newest guy, and she decides to put her foot down and prevent herself from falling for the same trap. She tries to speak up and be her own self, but he thinks she wants more of his attention, and it comes out all wrong. She hates feeling that way, but she likes being attended to, being 'cared' for, even if it's for the guy's benefit. She's determined not to fall in love with the guy though, because she knows it'll be doomed, seeing how he's treating her. She knows that she's the one that usually makes the mistake of staying with these losers, so she's trying to abstain from her usual routine. **Again, not the likely meaning, but it could be interpreted as such to some*

The second meaning that I feel is more accurate is more simple. It's about a girl who loves to tease guys, mess around with their heads a little bit and doesn't have trouble being around them. She starts having feelings for a guy in particular, and it scares her a bit. She wants to dress up, gussy herself up and be more womanly for him, and wants to impress him. She starts feeling nervous and giddy around him, and when she tries to play it off and be her typical self, it backfires and she falls all over him. She hates feeling so defenseless like that, so she's trying her best to keep her distance and not fall for him. She seems like she's never been in love before, or that she HAS, but has been burned badly, and never wants to be hurt again. As the song keeps going though, she's feeling less and less able to contain herself, and eventually she can't help it anymore (I'm flying too close to the sun, and I burst into flames), and she's at her breaking point. I also get a sense though that she wants it all to happen a little bit, but she's terrified that her mind will end up backing out of the relationship, and that she's "scared she'll take off in a run" and screw it up. We don't know if she finally gives in, but we sense that she can't take anymore temptation. All we know is that if she indeed falls for him, she'll feel as though she's having a heart attack, too overcome with emotion, defenselessness, passion and fear all at once.

^ Again, those are MY two possible interpretations. The latter of the two is one I personally believe in more, but they both can work with this song.

General CommentI interpret the lyrics pretty simply. It's about a girl who has confidence getting guys she isn't that interested in. However when it comes to guys she's pretty interested in then all her confidence goes away as she doesn't know how to handle potentials she sees of high value.

I think it's a good insight on "woman empowerment", ie: it's 2013 and modern women can go after what they want (career) and it should be the same with dating. She is able to "go after" lower potentials because she's not that invested in them so if they reject her than at least she used her empowerment of going after what you want.

However when it comes to high potentials then she paralyzed like a traditional woman. Paralyzing in the sense she doesn't feel empowered or confident enough to "chase" him.

It's a big dilemma whether women should "chase" men and I'm not surprise if most women don't "chase" men she sees of high potential because she wants him to love her and she's probably not aiming for casual love but the REAL love. Thus why the dilemma, ie: as a woman if he's really interested in you and not just your body then he will keep being persistent in chasing you. What if she chased him? Then he could easily aim for the free milk instead of buying the cow.

My OpinionI think that this song means that there was a girl that would feel okay around guys and she wouldn't be nervous around them at all until she finds a guy that she actually likes a bit. She gets nervous and scared because she's never actually been in love so she tries to impress him by acting more girly and tries to hide her true self. But whenever she does try to be herself it just goes all wrong and she embarrasses herself in front of her crush. So she keeps on trying and trying until she can't take it anymore. That's my opinion.

My InterpretationMy interpretation of this song is of a girl who has been able to "catch" many guys who were in a way a down grade. When she was with these guys she tried to be someone she wasn't because she didn't feel as though being herself wasn't enough. But now that she really likes this guy, she feels nervous to really love this guy who is better for her(an upgrade). She's scared she'll get hurt after being hurt so many times but this one guy in particular makes her feel amazing and make her "glow" because she's finally happy and she is allowing herself to be who she is and not pretending to be someone else. She wants this guy to like her the way she is but doesn't want to finally fall in love with someone and get hurt because it'll cause another heart break. I know how it feels to be in this girl's position. It does hurt when you feel like you're not enough for a guy and change who you are just to please him. But now I've learned never to change who you are for anyone. If they don't think you're beautiful when you're yourself, they're not good for you.

My InterpretationThis is how I interpretate it, this does not mean this is how Demi meant it to be.

I feel like this is about a girl in a controlling relationship, the guy being the controlling one. He's telling her she had to dress a certain way and be a person she's not. She takes it for a while, but at a certain moment she's had enough. She won't take it anymore. That's what I thought the video was about too, the black paint represents her being herself. She's rubbing it all over herself, making her 'dirty'. Her being not the person her boyfriend wants her to be.

To be honoust, this might not be the correct interpretation. But I think this is a better lesson to teach girls, than taking the risk in a relationship is worth it.

General CommentI think I can make a fairly accurate comment on the song as I can relate to the lyrics. The girl here teases guys, she doesn't particularly care about them but she does it to feel good. Because she's in control, a rejection of a guy wouldn't matter because it would be on her terms and by never letting guys in, she won't be hurt. So all the other guys are kept at a distance. But then she meets a guy that she does actually like and feels vulnerable. Where she wasn't bothered about making an effort with how she looks before, she wants to look good for this guy. The feeling of wanting someone so much excites her yet scares her at the same time. All the mind games she would usually play don't work on him and end up backfiring on her, leaving her feeling worse. Where she would usually put up a front with guys, she can't with him. She has nothing to fall back on and doesn't know how to act as she can't behave how she normally would with the other guys. The conflicting feelings of falling in love with someone when you have trust issues is unlike no other. I think this is really about when you meet someone who makes you want to be a better version of yourself. She wants to be that person for him.

Song MeaningIt means this guy is either a crush/ or boyfriend who she is falling for but she has been hurt or thinks she is gonna be hurt emotionally later by this guy, so she is putting her guards up and not trying to fall in love with him as she know she will be hurt. She is afraid of falling in love so she's trying to not to fall in love even though she is, but she is trying to prevent it.

My InterpretationAccording to me, she is one tough proud, beautiful girl who never really have feelings when she have relationships.. she is kind of a playboy she can have relationship with anyone she likes, she thinks no one is out of her league.. But there is (and always will be) one guy whom she thought he was way out of her league...
she feels scares when she was with him.. she think she is not good enough for him..
"You make me glow,
But I cover up, won’t let it show,
So I’m puttin’ my defenses up
'Cause I don’t wanna fall in love
If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack
I think I’d have a heart attack "

This implies that she is always shy, blush when she is around him
So she didn't even want to give the man a single hint about her feeling for him
So she try to escape from him as long as possible(maybe hide when she sees him) because she thinks its a waste to let him know her feeling because
She thinks he is way out of her league and will never accept her and thus will give her heart attack